


You've shown me what love can feel like

by whereismywarden (PearOh)



Series: Dragon Age - Inquisitor Asaara Adaar - Second Chances Worldstate [1]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Pre-Dragon Age: Inquisition, Reunions, Worry, Writing Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-21
Updated: 2019-08-21
Packaged: 2020-09-23 13:03:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20340562
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PearOh/pseuds/whereismywarden
Summary: (Tumblr prompt) When the Temple of Sacred Ashes explodes, Cullen is distraught to learn that the woman he loves might die before he had a chance to confess his feelings for her.





	You've shown me what love can feel like

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr prompt for @liveinthehills: "You've shown me what love can feel like." for Cullen/Adaar.

They put her in the dungeon. They put her in a damp, dark cell. Asaara was still unconscious, but Cassandra thought it best to chain her to a wall.  _ ‘For everyone’s safety,’ _ the Seeker had said. It made Cullen uncomfortable. No, not uncomfortable,  _ angry. _ He knew this woman. He loved this woman. She was the kindest person he had ever met. She had shown him love and compassion at a time when he had deserved none. There was no way she could be responsible for this massacre. But she was the only survivor, and that made her their only suspect.

He’d seen her that day, shortly before the explosion. She had stood across the Temple’s hallway, giving orders to her men, a bunch of broad-shouldered Qunari who looked so out of place amongst the Grand Clerics that Cullen might have laughed had he not been so enthralled by Asaara’s presence. He had never wanted anything more at that moment than to run towards her, wrap his arms around her, tell her how much he’d missed her.  _ Kiss her. _ It had been four years since they had last seen each other. Four years since they had parted ways in the Free Marches, with the sun setting behind them as they each resumed their normal lives. Four years when every day, every minute,  _ every second,  _ had felt like an eternity to him.

Maker, she had been every bit as beautiful as he had remembered.

She had caught him staring from across the room. Her smile had widened, stretching her dark and sensual lips into a bright, inviting grin. Her long legs had taken her to him in a few quick strides. Cullen had swallowed hard, his throat suddenly dry.

“Somehow, I knew I’d see you here,” she had said, her smile only growing wider. “Knight-Captain.”

“Actually, it’s Commander now,” he had replied weakly.

“Ah, of course. After everything that happened, it makes sense. Please, forgive me, Knight-Commander.”

“It’s only Commander,” he had rectified. 

She hadn’t pressed for more explanation and, frankly, he was still not sure why it had mattered so much to him that she used the right title. He wanted her to call him by _his name_, like she had four years ago in that cave… 

“I— Er— Will you be attending the Conclave?” she had asked nervously.

“No, I— I’ll be at the Chantry overseeing the army.”

“Then I guess we’ll see each other later when this is over… If you want to, that is… I just— I just thought we could, I don’t know, catch up with each other or something.”

She had looked as flustered as he had felt.

_ Kiss her, you idiot, _ a little voice in his head had begged him, but instead, he had replied, “I’ll be looking forward to it.”

“It’s a date, then.” Heat had spread across her face once she had realized the implications of what she had just said. “I mean not a— Unless you— Would you like—?”

He had blurted out his answer before he could overthink it. “Of course!”

“Good,” she had sighed in relief.

Two hours later, the Temple of Sacred Ashes had blown up.

The thought of losing her again… After they had just been reunited…

Cullen stood in front of the cell, watching as the apostate, Solas, worked his magic to keep Asaara alive just as the mark on her left hand was already growing on the surface of her palm. Seeing her like this, so still, so helpless, so vulnerable, made his heart drop. He wished he could do something, anything — walk in and hold her free hand, brush the stray hair from her face, kiss her forehead, bring her  _ some  _ kind of comfort… But it would draw too much suspicion. On him, yes, but on her most of all. Cassandra might think she had seduced him to gain access to the Conclave, which was ridiculous considering the two of them had met before the war had even begun.

_ Maker, please, I implore You, keep her safe, because I sure can’t. _

It was his fault for bringing her here in the first place.  _ He _ was the one who had convinced Cassandra to hire the Valo-Kas as extra security for the Conclave. She wouldn’t be here, on the brink of death, if it hadn’t been for him.

He should have told her then. Back at the Temple, or even four years ago, in that blasted cave… He should have told her how he truly felt about her. Now it might be too late.

_ I love you, _ he should have said.  _ I’ve never felt like this before. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you. I never thought it could be possible to love someone this much. I was wrong. You’ve shown me it was possible. You’ve shown me what love can feel like. And now I can’t bear the thought of losing you. _

Maybe they never should have left that cave.


End file.
